Combination clarifier and separator.



H. I. YOUNG. COMBINATION CLARIFIEH AND` SEPARATOR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25. 1918.

Patented Feb. 11, 1919.

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HOMER J.` YOUNG, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

COMBINATION CLARIFIER AND SEPARATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 11, 1919..

Application led February 25, 1918. Serial No. 218,987.

machines, one for clarifying and the other for separating the milk, to the end that a great saving is effected. Y

Another obj ect ofthe invention is to provide a revoluble bowl shiftable on the vertical spindleas a seat, to automatically bring the center of gyration into coincidence with the center of mass for any speed of rotation. It is a broad and well known principle that the center of mass must coincide with the center of gyration :in high speed machinery. When they do not coincide in a separator or clarifier, we have the chatter caused by the jerky engagement between the worm on a shaky'spindle, and the gear with which it meshes. It is the object of my invention to eliminate this chatter by substituting for the top flexible spindle bearing of other constructions, a mounting which permits the 1 tion. In my construction, on the other hand,

centrifugal pawls are employed to prevent the bowl from flying off, without interfering with the self-balancing of the latter, and'therefore the weight ofthe bowl may be reduced approximately one half, effecting a corresponding reduction in the power required to turn it. For example, since the rotation of the bowl to that of the handle, 1s ordinarily in the proportion of 100 to 1, every pound of weight taken off the bowl results in 100 pounds of turning power being taken 0H the handle. My improved construction, therefore, results in a material reduction in the power requiredfto turn the bowl, which is an important item in the clarifying and separating art.

A further Vobject of the invention is to provide a clarification chamber in the bowl that is preferably hook-shaped in cross section, to receive dirt, hair, manure, y waste tissue and other foreign matter thrown off from the milk when the machine is used as a separator. This matter will lodge in said chamber, from which it cannot escape, sincethe contour of the latter forms a pocket to prevent its upward movement with the skim milk, while centrifugal force opposes any tendency it has to work outwardly toward the disks.

Other important and incidental objects will be brought out in the following specifi cation, and particularly set forth in the subjoined claims.

The preferred form of embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, of which Figure lis a vertical sectional view of my combination clarifier and separator. Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the upper end of the spindle and the lower end of the bowl, showing my improved mounting Vfor the latter'. Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the bearing which screws in the lower end of the bowl.` Fig. 4: is a perspective view of the nut employed at the upper end of the bowl when the `machine is used as a separator. And Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the nut employed when the machine is operated as a clarifier.

Throughout the specification and drawings, similar reference characters denote corresponding parts. Y

Ina detailed description of the preferred form of embodiment of my invention, the

numeral l designates a revoluble bowl hav-4 3a supported by the upper rim of an outwardly bulging corner portion 4: preferably hook-shaped in 'cross section for a purpose to be hereinafter described. After extending inwardly a short distance, the bottom portion of the bowl inclines upwardly to a tubular central portion the lower end of which is threaded to receive a cylindrical member 5 which terminates in an outwardly and downwardly extending portion G that is cored out to form an inwardly tapering bore 7 whose extreme inner end is rounded to semi-elliptical form in cross section. This bore 7 is adapted to receive the top 8 of ave'rtical spindle 9, said top being preferably 'semi-circular in cross section.

The top of the bore 7 is rounded as shown in Figs. 1 'and 2, Ato provide ample room for the center of mass to seek the center of gyration as the bowl is revolved by the spindle 9. Tf the center of 'mass and gyration are at a variance, or contend with each other during the rapid rotation of the bowl, the spindle will have a shaky rotation which produces the chatter in the worm and gears so commonly heard in separators. But in my improved mounting the center of mass will automatically seek the center of gyration, since the dome-shaped end of the bore 7 so p coperates with'the top of the spindle, that during its rotation the bowl will automatically shift on @e latter as a seat Vuntil the center of gyration coincides with the center of mass at all speeds, whereupon it will turn evenly and smoothly without producing any chattering sounds. In all other separators with which 1 am familiar, the top bearing of the spindle is necessarily a flexible one, with springs. This is an unmechanical construction which my invention obvi'ates by providing in its place rigid spindle bearings;

Pivotal/ly secured by a pin 10 in two oppositely countersunk portions of the upper end of the spindle 9, just below its rounded top 8,'are the lower ends of two oscillatory,

upwardly-tapering wings 11 through which,

and a slot 12 in the upper end of the spindle 9, a transverse pin 13 extends. This pin is fixedly secured to each of the wings 11, through which it projects,` but is adapted to oscillate within the slot 12 in the spindle 9 for a purpose to be soon described.

Each end of the pin 13 extends loosely into a groove 111 provided in the downwardly extending portion 6 of the member 5, pri* marily to turn the bowl 1 Awhen the spindle 9 is revolved. By virtue of the groovesy 14, the bowl 1 is permitted t( shift laterally in the direction of the length of the Vpin 13 whose ends loosely extend into said grooves, or the pin may shift laterally through the slot 12 inthe spindle, said movements of the bowler pin serving to provide a form of universaljoint between the bowl and spindle without interfering with the latters pri-Y n111. The lower 'ends of these pawls are weighted to hold their upper ends normally o ut of the path of the Aends of the pin 13.`

However, during a rapid rotation of ythe bowl, the lower ends of the pawls 15 will be thrown outwardly by centrifugal force to brin'g their upper ends `below the extremities of thel pin 13 as shown in Fig. 1, ,and thereby prevent the bowl being lifted from the spindle during its rapid rotation.

In other constructions gravity alone is relied upon 'to prevent the bowl being raised from the spindle. This necessitates an increase in the weightoi the bowl `and a l'pro portionate increase in turning power, both of Vwhich-1 materially reduce by employing the centrifugal pawls to prevent the bowl being lifted from the spindle during its rapid rotation.

Attached to vertical ribs 16 secured to the exterior wall ofthe tubularfshell 17 at the center of the bowl, is a series of downwardly inclined disks 18, preferably seven'in nmber. The ribs 16 are hollow to receive 'from the tubular shell 17 through slots 19 formed therein, the whole milk which is delivered to the bowl from thevbo'ttom lof the 'ribs between the inclined Vbowl licor and a4 disk 20 that is outwardly projecting integral pai-t of tbe supporting shell for the other disks.V

In Fig.l 1 the-bowl is sliownjarranged to separate the incoming milk. Referring to this figure, the numeral 21 designates a foolV- lar Vwhich is threaded on the upper end kof the tubnlar shell 17. Thijsicollar contains vertical cream passages which c'om'mu` nicate, through 'an annular base porti'onQQa, with the `space between the ribs 16 to receive therefrom the cream which hasiworkedinto itfroin between the disks 18, said crearnbeing emitted from the passages 22 Vthrough outlet ports 23. Y l Y y.

Adapted to be'screwed on the lower portion of the collar 9.1, lis a nut 2li which has curved ports l25 extending from its side periphery to its bottom porti'ornffo'r communication with 'the space 'between the uppermost disk 18 and the inclined top 2 of the bowl, to receive therefrom .the skim milk which-travels upwardly to it along the inside periphery-of thc bowlshell. This nut gasket?)a to form a tight connection between the upper and lower parts of the bowl.

forced inwardly between the disks 18 into the space between the ribs 16, whence, after passage through lthe annular portion 22a, it enters the passages 22 and is discharged Y therefrom through the outlet ports 23. (For the path of the incoming whole milk, and the cream and skim milk discharged therefrom, see the arrows in Fig. l.) During the separation of the whole milk, the dirt, manure, waste tissue and other foreign particles separated therefrom, will lodge in the clarification chamber 27, to be held there by its curved topy against escape with the skim milk and prevented by centrifugal force from working inwardly with the cream. It will therefore be seen that my device is adapted to act as a clarifying separator.

When it is desired to use the machine solely as a clarifier, the ported nut 24 is removed from the collar 2l, and a solid nonported nut 26 applied to the latter in its place. The nut 26 will afford` no outlet for the skim milk; hence said milk, together with the cream, will find its outlet through the passages 22 and ports 2,3 after being clarified. It might be stated here, for explanatory purposes, that when the incoming whole milk is clarified, the bowl is revolved at a slower rate of speed than during the process of separation, since less centrifugal force is required to discharge foreign matter from the whole milk, than to separate cream therefrom. When the bowl containing the whole milk is revolved at this reduced speed, the particles of dirt, manure, waste tissue and other foreign matter which it contains, will be separated from it by centrifugal force and lodged in the clarification chamber 27 which will retain it until re-Y moved. Y

It willV thus be seen that I have provided convenient and e'liicient means for converting a clarifier into a separator, and vice versa, thus effecting a saving in the cost of an additional machine for performing either one of these functions.

I do not wish to belimited to the details y of construction and arrangement herein shown and described, and any changes or modifications Vmay be made therein within the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a device'of the type specified, the combination with a vertical spindle having a head semi-circular in cross section, of a revoluble bowl, a member extending downwardly from the central portion of said bowl, and an inwardly tapering central bore in said member to loosely receive the upper end of said spindle, the inner end of said bore being rounded to semi-elliptical form in cross section, to provide ample room for the revoluble bowl to shift on the top of the spindle as a seat, to seek a point where the center of gyration coincides with the center 2. In a device of the type specified, the combination with a vertical spindle, of a revoluble bowl, a member extending downwardly from the central portion of said bowl, an inwardly tapering central bore in said member to loosely receive the upper end of said spindle, and a horizontal element loosely extensible through alateral slot in the upper end of the spindle, into grooves provided in said downwardly extending member, for the purpose of turning the bowl and at the same time permitting it to shift on the top of the spindle asV a seat to seek a point where the center of gyration coincides with the center of mass.

3. In a device of the type specified, the combination with a vertical spindle, of a revoluble bowl, a member extending downwardly from the central portion of said bowl, an inwardly tapering central bore in said member to loosely receive the upper end of said spindle, a horizontal pin loosely extensible through a lateral slot in the upper end of the spindle, into grooves provided in said downwardly extending member, and oscillating wings pivotally secured at their lower ends to the spindle and through whose upper ends said horizontal pin tightly passes, to firmly hold it during its movement through the slot and the movement of the bowl in the direction of its length, for the purpose described.

4. In a device of thetype specified,the combination with a vertical spindle, of a revoluble bowl, a member extending downwardly from the central portion of said bowl, an inwardly tapering central bore in said member to loosely receive the upper end of said spindle, a pair of oppositely disposed projections on the upper end of the spindle, extensible into grooves in said downwardly extending member, to turn the bowl when the spindle is rotated, and centrifugal means mounted within said grooves.

adapted to engage said projections during the rapid rotation of the bowl, to prevent the latter being raised Yabove the upper end of the spindle.

5.- In a device of the type speciiied, the combination with a vertical spindle, of a revoluble bowl, a member extending downwardly from the central portion of said bowl, an inwardly tapering central bore in said member to loosely receive the upper end of said spindle, a pin extending through the upper end of said spindle into grooves in pawls yare thrown outwardly by centrifugal said downwardly extending member, and force during a rapid rotation of said bowl. centrifugal pawls pivotally secured within In testimony whereof .I have hereunto set 10 said grooves, the upper ends of said pawls my hand this QBrdday of February, 1918. adapted to be forced under the ends of said Y HOM-ER J. YOUNG.

pin to prevent the bowl being thrown orf Vtness:

the spindle, when `the lower ends of said HOWARD S. SMITH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained tor ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner ot Patents. Y

Wnhingtom, vI). CJ I 

